‘The travels of Sig. Pietro della Valle, a noble Roman, into East-India and Arabia Deserta. In which, the several countries, together with the customs, manners, traffique, and rites both religious and civil, of those Oriental princes and nations, are faithfully described: In familiar letters to his friend Signior Mario Schipano. Whereunto is added a relation of Sir Thomas Roe’s voyage into the East-Indies’ [‎136] (157/508)

The Travels of Peter Delia Valle,
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Coumry, where we had heard by Fame, that fome Women in
tofaa love their Hufbands fo vehemently, as when they dye to
refolve to dye with them 5 and that now having intelligence
that this Woman was fuch a one, I was come to fee her, thatfo
I mk'ht relate in my own Country that I had feen fuchathing
with my own Eyes. Thefe people were well pleas'd with my
coming, and the her felf, having heard what I laid, rofe up from
her (eat, and came to fpeak to me.^. We di(coursd togethci
(landing, for a good while. She told me that her Name was
Giaccama, of the Race that her Hufband was a Drum
mer^ whence I wonder d the more 5 leeing Heroical ActionSj
as this undoubtedly ought to be judg d, are very rare in people
of.low quality. That it was about nineteen dayes fince her
Hufband's death, that he had left two other Wives elder then
fht. and whom he had married before her, (both which were
• ./ 7 J y/ prefent at this difcourfe) yet neither of them was willing to dye,
^ but xUedgd for excufe that they, had many Children. This
argument gave me occa(iontoafkG"2<f£r4/#^, (who ii^ew d me2
little Son of her own, about, fix or feven years old, befides aa
other Daughter (he had)how ftie could perlwade her felf to leave
her own little Children? And told her, that (he ought like wife
to live rather then to abandon them at that Age. She anfwer d
me, that (he left them well recommended to the care of an Uncle
of hers there prefent, who alfo talk'd with us very cheerfully, as
if rejoycing that his Kinswoman would do luch an action 5
and that her Hufbands other two remaining Wives would alfo
t ake care of them. inflfted much upon the tender .Age of her
Children, to avert her from her purpofe, by moving her to Gom-
paffion for them, well knowing that no argument ismorepre-
valent with Mothers then t^ieir Love and AfFeftion towards their
Children. But all my fpeaking was in vain,and (he ftill anfwer'd
me to all my Keafons, with a Countenance not onely undifmay'd
and conftant, but even cheerful, and fpokein a fuch manner as
Ihew'd that (he had not the leaft fear of death. She told me alfo,
upon my alking her, that (he did this of her own accord, was at
her own liberty, not fore'd nor perfwaded by any one. Where
upon I inquiring. Whether force were at any time us'd in this
matter, they told me, that ordinarily it was not, but onely
(bmetimes amongft Perfons of quality when fome Widow was
left young , handfome, and (b in danger of marrying again
(which amongft them is very ignominious^, or committing a
worfe fault v in fuch Cafes the Friends of the deceas'd Hufband
were very ftrid, and would conftrain her to burn her felf even
againft her own will, for preventing the diforders poflible to
happen in cafe (he(hould live 5 ( a barbarous, indeed, and too
cruel Law.) However, that neither force nor perfwafion was
us'd to Grace atnk^ that (he did it of her own free will, in which,
as of a magnanimous aftion, (as indeed it was) and amongft
them of great honor, both her Relations and her felf much
^'Uruu glory'd